#348 Discipline, Not Condemnation Hebrews 12.6In this process of dealing with intense emotional reaction, I received a strong reminder from the LORD:There is no condemnation. Romans 8:1 There is discipline. Hebrews 12:6 There is no reason for living in a state of guilt. There is every reason for living in the state of Grace in order to be trained.Hebrews 12:5 When we take the discipline too lightly (perhaps by minimizing the situation) and we don’t get the lesson.When we take the discipline too seriously (perhaps by over-analyzing) and we can become immobilized by guilt.We need to pray for the balance, realizing our accountability and realizing His compassion.

Discipline from the Father is a sign of His love, and a sign of our sonship. Hebrews 12:6-7 His discipline is for eternal good, driven by eternal wisdom. Hebrews 12:9-10 We need to remember that the first phases of discipline are challenging. It is normal to be challenged and grieved at first. Give God time to work. “…it afterwards yields to those who have passed through its training the peace of a righteous life.” Hebrews 12:11 Weymouth

“Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble.” Strengthen #461 (Vines: to set upright; a word used of setting up a building, and restoring ruins Acts 15:16) the hands that hang down (#3935 Vines: to relax, loosen, hang down in weakness)Revitalize our weak spiritual hands/actions by lifting them up and using them according to the leading of the Father.Feeble knees: Vines: to weaken, enfeeble; in the passive voice, to be enfeebled, as by a paralytic strokeWe need to guard against the weakness that may come from “a spiritual stroke.” We are called to revitalize the weakness in our knees, our going forward in life in the direction guided by our Loving Heavenly Father. We are called to overcome immobilization through use. Lift up those feeble knees; set them upright. Don’t just sit there, Stand up and walk in the strength and direction of the Father!“And make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:13Make #4160 implies action: to make or to do. Straight: 3717: perpendicularly erect, (fig. honest) or horizontally level or direct. We all have a lameness of character to deal with. Take action to make our walk upright and honest. What is best to choose? What is best to avoid? Take action to make our walk level and direct, aware of choices that would exasperate the whatever the character lameness we deal with. There is no condemnation. There is discipline.“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him…” Psalm 103:12-13Our sins are guilt are far from His focus. His compassion and ability to train us as His children is near to His heart.